In general, a roller assembly such as those used to apply paint to a wall, include a roller support attached to a handle. Normally, a roller cover is removably mounted on the roller support for rotation relative to the handle. Typically, the roller cover is disposable and replaceable as desired. As such, the useful life of the roller cover is often quite limited when compared to that of the roller assembly.
Most currently used roller covers are frictionally secured to the roller support. A disadvantage associated with this type of roller assembly, is that, in order to remove the roller cover from the roller support, it is usually necessary to grasp an outer surface of the roller cover and slide it off of the roller support. As the roller cover being removed is normally covered with wet paint or some other type of material, the process of removing the roller cover from the roller assembly can be an undesirable task.
Another disadvantage of the above-described prior art roller assemblies, is that the handle assembly usually includes bushings coupling the roller support to a wire handle. Normally, the bushings are exposed to the paint or other material being applied when the roller assembly is used, allowing the paint to flow between an inner surface of the roller cover and the bushings. Often, the paint between the roller cover and the bushings dries and seals the roller cover to the bushings. Thus, in order to remove the roller cover from the roller assembly it is sometimes necessary to first strike the roller assembly on the edge of a bucket or other structure to break the dried paint away from the bushings, thereby allowing the roller cover to be removed from the roller assembly. Alternatively, it may be necessary to slice, or cut the roller cover along a length thereof, allowing the roller cover to be peeled away from the roller assembly.
Additionally, the paint or other material exposed to the bushings often partially dries or otherwise creates a build-up of material at these couplings and can adversely affect the performance of the roller assembly or the useful life thereof by inhibiting the rotation of the bushings or causing excessive wear to the bushings or roller assembly.
Still another disadvantage associated with many prior art roller assemblies is that often the frictional coupling between an inner diameter of the roller cover and the roller support is not uniform relative to the roller cover. This arrangement can cause gaps between the bushings and the roller cover wherein paint or another work material can flow through these gaps further increasing the possibility of the roller cover becoming sealed to the bushings as described above.
Additionally, the frictional coupling between the roller cover and the roller assembly in many prior art roller assemblies is not sufficient to prevent the roller cover from tracking improperly with respect to the roller support. That is, when using this type of roller assembly, the roller cover often has a tendency to work itself off of the roller support making it necessary to periodically tap an end of the roller cover against something to reposition the roller cover on the roller support. This problem can be exasperated with the presence of paint between the roller cover and the roller support as described above, as the lubriciousness of the paint can further reduce the frictional force between the roller cover and the roller support.
Based on the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a roller assembly that improves upon, or overcomes the problems and drawbacks associated with prior art roller assemblies.